Most prevalant artillery ammuntion

Common shells did not have led or iron balls but was full of powder and could skip along the ground and explode among the enemy with deadly effect.
-- Oops wrote this while john was responding
Ok. So those were spherical cases packed with powder and would create shrapnel when they exploded?
 
Ok. So those were spherical cases packed with powder and would create shrapnel when they exploded?
Correct, and they had thicker iron walls. If you want, I can post a picture of a case-shot I found that I had professionally cut in half. I don't have a common shell example, but the case may help in understanding. Case-shot also produced Chunks of iron shrapnel in addition to led or iron balls.
 
Ok. So those were spherical cases packed with powder and would create shrapnel when they exploded?

Alan is correct. You should understand, too, that both case and shell were designed to explode about twenty feet above and in front of the enemy so as to rain the shrapnel or fragments down on them. Those movie scenes where they always show artillery rounds exploding on the ground are grossly inaccurate (but cheaper and easier to film).
 
Alan is correct. You should understand, too, that both case and shell were designed to explode about twenty feet above and in front of the enemy so as to rain the shrapnel or fragments down on them. Those movie scenes where they always show artillery rounds exploding on the ground are grossly inaccurate (but cheaper and easier to film).
I remember being confused the first time I saw either Gettysburg or Glory,because there are some airbursts in both those movies and I was not aware at the time that such artillery rounds existed in the ACW.
 
Did mortar round contain grapeshot or were they packed with powder too?
 
I remember being confused the first time I saw either Gettysburg or Glory,because there are some airbursts in both those movies and I was not aware at the time that such artillery rounds existed in the ACW.

They, along with solid shot and canister, were the most prevalent types. Rifled guns with percussion shells (they also had timed fuse shells) were later additions but weren't really the most prevalent until maybe the last year or so. Even then, a smooth-bore twelve pounder could deliver a larger round and way more canister and remained the choice if the enemy was close.

If you study drawings from the time you'll see they mostly show air bursts. Such are just difficult to do in movies so they opt for ground explosions.
 
Did mortar round contain grapeshot or were they packed with powder too?

Mortar rounds were filled with powder and were close-range weapons used to get behind fortifications and entrenchments. Interestingly (well, to me anyway) field howitzers were often used as mortars by lowering their trails into a trench so as to increase muzzle elevation and using reduced powder charges. That allowed for explosive shell and case to be used at close ranges against an entrenched enemy. Such was a favorite of E. P. Alexander, CSA.
 
You are most welcome. If you ever have questions about field artillery please feel free to send me a PM. It's a special interest of mine.
Thx. You're signature kinda gives it away. :cannon::bomb:
 
Would that be a shell skipping on the ground a bit and then exploding? It had a timed fuse? Is that what is meant by the term "percussion"?
The excerpt from that account is speaking of percussion shells flying through the ranks at an angle, thus "a single percussion shell would cut out several files", as the battery in question was firing from atop Little Round Top and into Pickett's charge from the flank.
 
The excerpt from that account is speaking of percussion shells flying through the ranks at an angle, thus "a single percussion shell would cut out several files", as the battery in question was firing from atop Little Round Top and into Pickett's charge from the flank.
Enfilade.
 
a little off-topic, but here is a interesting item I found in my research on the State House Guns. In 1864, Ohio purchased artillery ammunition from the U.S Government.
The cost for 12-pdr/ 6-pdr Fixed Ammunition:
Shot $1.32 / $0.70
Shell $1.33 / none purchased
Spherical case $1.75 / $1.11
Canister $0.87 / $0.70
 
Any projectile will skip or glance on water or any other flat surface if the angle of impact is not to great. Generally speaking the angle of skip is equal to the angle of impact.
 
Those with greater expertise can advise, but I have broken down the identified artillery casualties inflicted on Pickett's Division on the third day at Gettysburg (including the artillery duel beforehand, as well as the advance/retreat) into five broad categories:

1. Solid (spherical) shot/bolt, or unexploded round: 5
2. Fragment from an exploding round (Common shell): 25
3. Canister balls/Case shot balls/Grape shot: 11
4. Explosion itself (concussion or burn): 3
5. Indirect (rail thrown by a shell): 1

I have excluded the many mentions of a bursting shell because they might fall into either category 2 or 3. I suppose that fragments can also originate from the external casing of a Canister/Case shot/Grape shot, rather than from the enclosed balls; if so some casualties listed under category 2 ought to fall under category 3. My sense is that solid shot was primarily directed against opposing artillery, although a mass of infantry would also make a tempting target. But against a standard two-line formation, a solid shot strike would typically take out only one or two men.

Wouldnt casualties attributed to smoothbore muskets such as those used by the Irish brigade, couldnt some of those casualties be actually attributed to case shot? They both use .69 Cal round balls, it seems it would be extremely hard to differentiate one wound from the other unless there was also buckshot wounds. Or am I wrong?
 
Wouldnt casualties attributed to smoothbore muskets such as those used by the Irish brigade, couldnt some of those casualties be actually attributed to case shot? They both use .69 Cal round balls, it seems it would be extremely hard to differentiate one wound from the other unless there was also buckshot wounds. Or am I wrong?

Yes, I suppose so, although .69 smoothbore weapons were not widely used in the Federal army at Gettysburg. One of the better known units that did use them exclusively and effectively on July 3 was the 12th New Jersey, however it confronted Pettigrew's division.
 
Yes, I suppose so, although .69 smoothbore weapons were not widely used in the Federal army at Gettysburg. One of the better known units that did use them exclusively and effectively on July 3 was the 12th New Jersey, however it confronted Pettigrew's division.

But it does still beg the question, do you think some wounds attributed to round ball (or even through and through wounds) musketry could have actually happened from air burst case shot. Really does make me wonder
 
Extant accounts often provide context that enables a determination of whether the round was likely from artillery or infantry fire, or the composite unit casualties will suggest the source. My compiled list of Gettysburg casualties actually has relatively few mentions of a "round ball," or even "buckshot" for that matter. The vast majority of gunshot wounds were attributed to conoidal (minie) ball, when details are provided.

However, Noonanda, you do have a point. One example involves a soldier in Pickett's division, Private David C. Trainham of the 56th Virginia, who was wounded by a round ball, which is described as having been inflicted by either canister or "buck and ball."

Other examples:

- Thaddeus Pagand, 12th Virginia, 3 July, wounded by ball from spherical case shot in cheek during the cannonade.
- Byrd McCormick, Taylor’s Battery, 2 July, shot through calf of leg by bullet from a spherical case shot.
- Edward F. Chapin, 15th Massachusetts, 2 July, struck by a ball right knee, then second ball in right knee exiting same spot, then spherical case shot in left thigh, died 1 August.
 
But it does still beg the question, do you think some wounds attributed to round ball (or even through and through wounds) musketry could have actually happened from air burst case shot. Really does make me wonder

Could be confusing at times, particularly if both caseshot projectiles and .69 muskets were used at an engagement. Certainly, though, if infantry were wounded only by long range artillery and those wounds included those caused by round balls, then that's one way to know the wounds were from caseshot.

Also, some lead case balls were packed tightly into the shell cavity with black, sticky and thick tar-matrix. Evidence of this matrix on a ball indicates it was caseshot and not fired from a musket. Some of this matrix can be found even today on freshly dug round balls. Soldiers back then would have known this difference, too.
 
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